Duckling with Wry Neck

[Brickman House]

Well, for the second year in a row brooding ducklings, I've had one come down with wry neck. I am so frustrated!

Last year, it showed up in one of my shipped ducklings; this year, it's in one of my home hatched. Last year, I started the ducklings on Southern States game bird starter, and when the one came down with wry neck, I switched them to Purina Start and Grow. This year, I started them on Purina Flock Raiser, and still I have a case of wry neck.

Last year, I treated with niacin in the water, and Polyvisol and Vitamin E twice a day by mouth, and it did cure the problem. I've started the same treatment this time.

There must be something I'm doing wrong, though, to have two cases of wry neck two years in a row. Any ideas?

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I don't think its anything you did wrong. I know that I just had a gosling born with wry neck and I think its the way she was inside the egg. It can be corrected, as you've noted, and we've fixed our little gosling's as well.

Did you happen to breed the duck that had the wry neck? I've heard that it's possible that it could be genetic in nature so if you bred that duck from last year, that could be where this one got it from.

Good luck!

Laurie

 

[Brickman House]

Well, fortunately or unfortunately, I can rule out genetics or hatching difficulties. The duck from last year and the one from this year are completely unrelated, and both hatched out perfectly fine. Last year's duck was shipped, this year's is home hatched.

They both developed the wry neck at around 2 1/2 - 3 weeks old. They suffered no trauma or injuries.

At this point, the only cause I can think of is a vitamin deficiency in the feed, which is really aggravating.

Seriously, is there no feed out there that can get ducklings through the brooding stage (4 weeks) healthy and undeformed, and doesn't require me to buy an extra $20 worth of vitamins to get them through until I can get them out on grass?